Richmond's Luxury Outdoor Fireplace Builder
Outdoor Dreams is a design/build firm specializing in luxury outdoor spaces and features for homeowners throughout Richmond and Central Virginia.
For many, outdoor fireplaces are the most popular feature of their living space. Whether it's the romantic, glowing atmosphere they create or the warmth they provide during colder seasons, outdoor fireplaces are a fantastic addition sure to create countless memories.
OUTDOOR DREAMS has been VOTED Best for 8 years in a row BY THE READERS OF RICHMOND MAGAZINE'S R-HOME!
Outdoor Dreams' Fireplace projects
Investment
An Outdoor Dreams' fireplace typically starts around $20,000 with the average design costing $24,000-$26,000. Most Outdoor Dreams' fireplaces are composed of stone or brick masonry and include a hearth and mantel. Gas features typically add an additional $7,500+ for the insert, decorative jewelry (gas logs, fire glass, etc.), and running the gas line.
Interested in financing? Outdoor Dreams has partnered with HFS Home Improvement Financing to help you achieve the backyard of your dreams.
Learn more about our Project Financing
Timeframe
With multiple design options available, an in-house masonry team, and management that can handle permitting with ease, Outdoor Dreams is able to help homeowners quickly add outdoor fireplaces within 4-8 weeks of signing a contract.
Outdoor Dreams created our own "outdoor dream". They were so easy to work with, delivered our project on time, and we couldn't be happier with our new backyard escape. Geoff, Mike, and Greg all were truly professional and really took what we wanted and made it better.
Ready to start a fire?
No matter where you are in the process, we’d love to talk!
Learn more about the Outdoor Fireplaces we build...
Outdoor Dreams offers two processes for clients looking to add an outdoor fireplace to their project.
Outdoor Dreams offers a catalog of 10 pre-priced outdoor fireplace designs. Selecting a design from our catalog allows you to quickly move to contract and get on the build schedule.
All catalog designs can be customized with material upgrades and feature additions (chimney caps, wood boxes, sitting walls, etc.)
Along with our catalog designs, Outdoor Dreams' design team can reconstruct outdoor fireplaces from inspiration photos as well as craft custom designs. Design fees are typically required for custom designs.
Design options:
Wood vs. Gas
When planning your outdoor fireplace, one of the most difficult decisions is choosing between whether your feature will be gas or wood-burning. Though similar in many ways, gas and wood-burning outdoor fireplaces are also very different. Each has its distinct advantages as well as its own disadvantages.
Wood Burning
The scent and sound of a crackling, wood fire create an enchanting ambiance that is unmatched by any gas feature. Additionally, the rich, warming glow of a wood-burning fire creates a greater sense of comfort than gas flames which tend to be more sterile.
Additionally, wood-burning outdoor fireplaces provide greater heat than gas features. Though some gas burners generate an equivalent amount of BTUs, many localities regulate their use. If warmth is a driving factor in your decision-making, a wood-burn outdoor fireplace is definitely the best choice.
Gas Burning
If you're looking for convenience, gas outdoor fireplaces might be your best bet. No buying wood. No chopping wood. No stacking wood. No seasoning wood. No burning wood. No wood ashes to clean.
With a gas feature, you can go from zero to fire in less than ten seconds. With such convenience, gas outdoor fireplaces are perfect for both a planned evening with friends or an impromptu nightcap.
Another key feature of gas outdoor fireplaces is the lack of smoke. With wood-burning features, smoke seems to follow you no matter where you sit and the smell can stick with you for days. With a gas feature, smoke and its lingering smell are not a concern.
Still can't decide?
Check out our full article about Gas vs. Wood-Burning fire features!
Design options:
Firewood Boxes
If you're considering a wood-burning outdoor fireplace, it's important to have a plan for wood storage. A popular option is to include wood boxes with your outdoor fireplace design.
Wood boxes typically start around $4,000 each.
design options:
Hearth & Mantel
Hearth
By raising the firebox and creating a 14-18" barrier, hearths ensure a safe distance is kept from flames and embers. Hearths also prevent shifting logs and embers from falling out of the firebox where they can burn individuals and combustible materials.
Fireplace hearths also provide the perfect location for small firewood racks as well as potted plants and decor.
Mantel
Fireplace mantels provide a barrier of protection between the firebox and items hung on the chimney like wreaths and outdoor televisions. Mantels also provide a great spot for displaying small potted plants and decor.
Additionally, mantels provide interest by breaking up the masonry, providing depth to the structure, and creating a visual break between the upper and lower halves of the outdoor fireplace.
Design options:
Outdoor Television
For many, outdoor living spaces are meant to be a place to escape technology and screens. Though this belief certainly has merit, we have grown to love outdoor televisions because they offer a unique viewing experience and increase the use of outdoor spaces.
As with the indoors, televisions are right at home mounted above an outdoor fireplace mantel. If you're considering an outdoor television, it's important to design an outdoor fireplace that can accommodate your desired size.
If you can imagine it Outdoor Dreams can bring it to reality. Outdoor Dreams workers are true professionals and they ensure that every detail that was presented in the first rendering are actually part of the final product. We couldn't be happier with our new outdoor retreat and look forward to enjoying our awesome outdoor space for many years.
